Category Archive

With the conclusion of the Agronomics Vision 2014 conference and American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers annual meeting, it is time to look forward to next year. To do that I sat down with Fred Hepler, President-Elect, AFM, AAC of Cottonwood Management in Edmond, Oklahoma. Next year it will be Fred’s meeting and he’s excited about it already. …

Jeff Berg, ARA, and Past President of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, talked about the ASFMRA Summer Education Week program during Agronomics Vision 2014 in Reno, NV. He told me that ASFMRA has a net increase of about 86 new members this year which is a big increase for the organization. Sounds like the ways that …

Stephen Frerichs, AgVantage, LLC, works with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers on its Leadership Institute in Washington, Dc. He attended the Agronomics Vision 2014 conference to provide a Farm Bill update and learn about what this year’s priorities are for ASFMRA. I sat down with him to talk about the work he does with ASFMRA members …

The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) recognized Gary Thien, AFM, ARA, Thien Farm Management, Inc., with the 2013 D. Howard Doane Award during the 2013 ASFMRA Annual Meeting in Reno, NV. The D. Howard Doane Award is held in great esteem in the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. It is given annually to …

There are so many ways that the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers provide education for their members. One of those is an accelerated ag land management program which has brought the traditional and typical classes together into a three week course. These are for seasoned professionals instead of those just entering the field. I spoke with Mike …

Besides certification programs the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers also has a Leadership Institute. Let’s learn all about it from Merrill W. Swanson, ARA of Dugger, Canaday, Grafe, Inc, in San Antonio, TX. Merrill has moved into the role of First Vice President of the ASFMRA. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Government Relations Committee …

As you know, Halderman Farm Management has been the sponsor of our coverage of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers Agronomics Conference for two years now. We greatly appreciate their support and to learn more about how things are going for the company I visited with Howard Halderman again at this year’s conference. Howard says things are …

Last week I posted podium remarks from Monsanto’s Dr. Robert Fraley and from California Secretary of Agriculture, Karen Ross at the Agronomics Vision 2014 conference in Reno, NV. After their presentations I sat down with them for a short interview which focused not only on their presentations but in more personal detail about what they see for the future. Feel …

One of the first persons I met at the Agronomics Vision 2014 conference was JoAnn Wall, Central Coast AgAppraisal, Inc. JoAnn moderated a technology panel during the conference this year. We had a great conversation about the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers in which she is actively involved. JoAnn is an accredited rural appraiser and says the …

The new president of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers is Jim Rickert, AFM, ARA co-owner of Western Agricultural Services. I visited with him at the Agronomics Vision 2014 conference taking place in Reno, NV, to find out what his goals are for his year as president. Rickert, AFM, ARA is the co-owner of Western Agricultural Services, …